Thursday, May 10, 2012

Day 27: Leading Like a Taoist

One thing that I feel the Tao Te Ching is very clear about is how to be an effective leader. I decided for this one I would share with you all a section of a psychology assignment I did for a Psychology of Leadership class.

Leadership in the Tao

The first
place that this Taoist learner began thinking about leadership was in her
spiritual life when reading the Tao Te Ching.

The
66th Verse of Lao Tzu’s work states, “The reason the river and the
sea can be regarded as the rulers of all the valley streams is because of their
being below them.Therefore they can be
their rulers.So if you want to be over
people you must speak humbly to them.If
you want to lead them, you must place yourself beneath them.

Thus
the sage is positioned above and the people do not feel oppressed.He is in front and they feel nothing
wrong.Therefore they like to push him
in front and never resent him.Since he
does not contend, no one can contend with him. (Lao Tsu, 2005)”

This passage speaks directly to the characteristics that
make a good leader.It speaks of the
importance of remaining humble and compassionate when in a leadership
role.If a leader separates himself from
his followers, he invites contention.

There are
many other references to leadership in this sacred text which encourages
compassion, harmony and inclusion.Lao
Tsu (2005) denounces the claiming of ideas and says a true leader is acting as
though the group interests were the same as his interests.He goes on to claim that good leaders are the
ones whom the followers scarcely know are there.When the best kind of leader achieves
success, the followers feel they can claim it as their own.